But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”
- KJV But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
- NKJV But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
- NASB But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
- NLT But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Many who are first will be last, and the last first. God's kingdom overturns human rankings of status and importance.
Overview
This proverb caps the teaching on wealth and discipleship by reversing worldly hierarchies. Those esteemed great by human standards may rank low before God, and the humble may be exalted. It warns against pride and self-congratulation, even among Jesus' own followers.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 19:30But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
- Matt 20:16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
- Luke 13:30And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”
- Rom 9:30–33What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
- Acts 13:46–48Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
- Matt 21:31Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
- Matt 8:11–12I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
- Luke 18:11–14The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
- Luke 7:29–30All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.
- Luke 7:40–47But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 10:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.